craptop goes offline by itself

[ponies]

It's makeing me insane! Everytime I leave my craptop long enough for it to shut down by itself, or if I turn it off myself, when I turn it back on it is offline!  I have to take the stupid thing into the back room where the modem and router are, unplug everything, wait a couple of mins, then plug it back in to get it back online.  I'm getting real sick of having to do that!  Running vista if that makes any difference. I bought this thing last December and it just started doing this.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Welcome to ComputerHope.

How is it connected when you turn the computer on?
Any recent downloads, installs, hardware changes, ect....

[ponies]

Thanks! Please bear with me, I'm college educated and techno stupid! I use Insight for my internet service. I tried to switch it to Windstream.  It crashed my computer but with the help of an Insight tech support person I was lucky enough to get it up and running again. It had done this before a few months ago, then stopped doing it.  Started up again after the Windstream fiasco. Needless to say, I didn't try that again and I'm sticking with Insight. You should have seen that Windstream guy scoot out the door when my computer crashed. Jerk.

[ponies]

It's hooked up like it's always been. The modem and router are in another room.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

So now your service provider is Insight?

What happens when you turn the computer on with the cable unplugged and then plug it in after loading windows?

[ponies]

I could do that but what would be the point? That's just "power down, power up" again. I'd have to that every time i turn on my craptop just like i do now.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

I meant turn on the computer without the internet cable, and then put it in afterwards.
(just to see if it works)

Also, when exactly did the problem start?

[ponies]

i did that today.  It had gone offline by itself again, so I turned it off, took it in to the back room where the modem and router are.  I unscrewed the cable line, turned on my craptop, screwed the cable back in and then it was back online.

Yes, Insight is my cable provider. They're no help. Thank you for trying!

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

All right, as long as you got it working.

[ponies]

Yes, but that's what I have to do everytime I turn my craptop off. When I turn it back on it is offline, so I have to take it into the other room where the modem and router are, then I have to turn off my craptop, unplug wires, wait a couple of mins, plug them back in, then turn on my craptop again. Then it is back online. I'm getting sick of having to do that everytime I turn on this *censored* thing.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Oh, I thought you solved the problem. 

Do you think it may be a problem with the cable? Can you try another one?

[ponies]

No, I don't have another cable.  I just keep unplugging the modem and router, plugging them back up everytime I want to be online.  I think if it was one of the wires or the cable that that would not work but it does.  But it makes me insane.  If I walk away for say.. 10 mins, then come back my piece of crap here has gone back to where I have to put in my password.  I put in my password and the *censored* thing is offline!  I have to go back into my back bedroom, turn off this piece of *censored*, unplug everything again, wait a couple of mins, plug back in and turn on the craptop. Then I'm back online. I'm sick of it. 

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Not sure what the problem may be.....

Have you reset the Router and Modem? (unplug their power cable for about 20 seconds)

[ponies]

Is that different than what I've been doing? I unplug the wire that looks like a phone cord from the router, then I unplug the small black wire from the modem, wait 2 mins.  Should I do that thing where you stick a pen tip or paper clip wire into that little hole in the modem to reset it?

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Try removing the power cable for the router and modem anyways.

If that still doesn't work, you may want to follow this advice:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html